Races
Velios Leadership: Arc Council Uriel, Auriel, Supreme Chancellor Samuel Capital: Ivory Hold, Ivanelia, Karah Point, Gallia Stance: Chaotic Good, Neutral Evil The Velios claim to be the first true race of the world, and none dispute this, because none remember a time without them. They appear to be tall humans with pointed ears and an almost unnatural grace and beauty, but this appearance is deceiving. The velios are masters of diplomacy and strategy, and it’s only through the careful leadership of the Arc Council that they do not wage open war on humanity for dominance, though the rouge velios nation of Gallia, led by Samuel, actively seek to eliminate all non-velios life. The other vel of the world view them as mad and often go as far as to deny their very existence. When some velios die, they return to life the next morning, as if awaking from sleep. Over the next month their bones become hollow and great wings grow from their back, this process is looked on as ascension to a greater form of life, though it is unknown what causes it. The Arc Council is made up of three elected members of the velios race that have ascended. Gallia does not follow the edicts of the Arc Council; instead they obey their own ascended leader, Samuel. Humans Leadership: High King Leonidas of Corlia, Emperor Vladimir III of Kolvograd Capital: Scepteria, Corlia (Free Nations), Kolvograd (Kolvost Empire) Stance: Lawful Good (Free Nations), Lawful Evil (Kolvost Empire) Humanity is the most widespread and adaptable of all the sentient races, and over the short time they’ve been civilized (about ten centuries) they’ve spread across the far reaches of creation. Various ideologies and cultures permeate the human race, and as a result many nation-states have risen up through the years since the Rise of Man. Currently two massive world powers, the Kolvost Empire, and the Alliance of Free Nations, fight for control of the world. As the other races similarly vie for supremacy in this chaotic time, it’s often wondered what would happen is humanity ever come together and face the world united. Gel’Har Leadership: Great Priest of Flame Kanuk Capital: Gel’Khar, Gel’Khar Stance: Neutral Good The methodical and pragmatic gel’har have lived under the mountains and valleys of the world for millennia. They have no problems with humanity taking the lands above the ground, as they have long since abandoned them, though now that humanity has forced the trogs under the mountains the gel’har must contend with them. The gel’har people are roughly as tall as a human during their first life, and closely resemble them in features. When a gel’har reaches around 100 years old, however, they enter into a rock-like cocoon from which they emerge ten years later as a totally different life form. A ‘second life’ gel’har more resembles a small walking mountain than a human, as they stand around fifteen feet in height with skin as tough as stone. In this stage they are venerable elders, leaders of their people. Few gel’har make it to their second life, and those that do are looked on as the pinnacle of their underground society. Merren Leadership: Guildmaster Loral Capital: Coral Cove (Jai Jenbar), Woodstark Island (Jai Orain) Stance: True Neutral Like the gel’har under the mountains the merren have entered into a convenient arrangement for living space with humanity: Don’t live in the water. The merren are a race devoted to the trade of good and cultures throughout the world. They travel the seas, rivers, and lakes transporting good made by other, more land-locked races to peoples far and wide. This is not to say there are no merchants of other races; it’s just that the merren are far more efficient. They have the unique and useful ability to immediately adapt to water-borne travel by merging their legs into fins and opening up gill slits in their neck. Male and female merren look greatly different, with females appearing nearly human and males looking decidedly more fishlike. They’re ruled by the great Merchant Guilds, with the greatest guild and its master overseeing all corners of society. Bionids Leadership: Independent Capital: None Stance: Varies When the synths were created it became very apparent that a normal person had little control over them. By ‘upgrading’ certain individuals with more machine-like bodies the creators of the synths were able to control them more effectively. Ten initial bionids were to be made, chosen from various races and nations as prototypes for what was to be a whole new race, and each was given a unique body with specialized abilities and equipment. Unfortunately, sometime after the tenth was finished, the first bionid, Primus, became aware that without the creators and the other bionids he alone would control the massive synth army. With machine-like efficiency he murdered all involved with the creation of the synths and bionids along with most of his fellows. In the end the other bionids returned to their places of origin in fear, all of them vowing revenge against the traitor Primus. Synths Leadership: Primus Capital: Mount Eche Stance: Unknown Mechanical soldiers forged deep within Mount Eche by an alliance of gel’har blacksmiths and human mages, the synths were originally created to combat the limitless undead. Able to match the tireless warriors of the dead and creating no corpses to create new undead warriors from, the synths seemed to be turning the tide of the war. All was well until Primus, the first bionid, betrayed his creators and his kin and took total control of the synth forces. No one knows his intentions for his new mechanical legions, but the fires of Mount Eche are still burning, and only time will tell what is being forged deep within the forgotten halls. Undead Leadership: Khallos (Technically under the Kolvost Empire) Capital: The Necropolis, Xerin Stance: Chaotic Evil At one point the necromancer Ongal struck terror into the hearts of the people with his near limitless undead armies. Champions from across the world queued to face the dark wizard in combat, all meeting their end. The forces of Kolvograd rose up, under the leadership of their emperor Vladimir I, and crushed the decaying hordes, slaying Ongal in his own citadel, The Necropolis. For generations the city of the dead lay unused and the dead slept peacefully in their graves until Khallos, a necromancer nearly as powerful as Ongal approached Emperor Vladimir III, great-grandson of the very man who slew Ongal and ended the reign of the undead. Khallos asked to be given access to The Necropolis and all of Ongal’s writings, promising Vladimir a horde of undead loyal to Kolvograd. Vladimir, hungry for power over the strengthening Alliance of Free Nations, readily agreed to the proposal, and now the dead march again from the city of the damned, this time carrying the banner of Emperor Vladimir III. Irryl Leadership: ‘Queen’ (Hive Mind) Capital: Somewhere in the Ash Plains Stance: Unknown Troglodytes Leadership: Supreme Chieftain Nero Capital: Bonecliff, Orgak Kor Stance: Chaotic Neutral A troglodyte is an inhumanly ugly being with very little regard for anything having to do with law or order as defined by other races, but they do have a strong sense of tradition. As a race they’re bound together by the strongest among them into loose clans, with each clan vying for supremacy. During the wholesale slaughter of a trog village a baby was recovered by Corlian forces, who took it to Scepteria to be raised by the Academy of Uren. The young trog, Nero, eventually grew up and fled the Academy, reuniting with his brethren. Hoping to forge a nation for the troglodyte people he slew all other chieftains and bound the warring clans to his leadership using his skills in both battle and magic. The troglodyte army has entered into talks of an alliance with Kolvograd, hoping to carve up the Free Nations of the world into a homeland for their kind. Draconians Leadership: None Capital: Pyrstaad Stance: Mostly Lawful Neutral While the velios claim to be the first race, it is actually the draconians who have walked the land the longest. Powerful, innate magic allows the massive reptilian creatures to hide their true form behind the disguise of a humanoid, and it is this ability that has allowed them to exist for so long nearly undetected. Long thought to be a myth, the dragons of the world have merely been playing as puppeteers and protectors of the various races of the world. As the armies of man, trog, vel, har, and others arrange themselves for a catastrophic war the draconians are positioning themselves to aid or hinder as they see fit.